You've Made Your Bed Paul Sr.

Updated on December 13, 2014

Paul Teutul

Paul Teutul Sr. | Source

Center from Right to Left, Paulie, Paul, and Mikey. (Photo courtesy of NBC) | Source

The OCC Download

Have you ever seen this man? He is Paul Teutul Sr. owner of Orange County Choppers, and reality TV star of the Discovery Channel's series, American Chopper. American Chopper is a TV series about building motorcycles and themed-based choppers. The three main stars of the show are Paul Teutul Sr., Paul Teutul Jr. (a.k.a. Paulie or Jr.) and Mikey Teutul.

Originally the show was about Paul Sr. and his boys, working together at Paul Sr.'s company Orange County Choppers (OCC). Paul Sr. often says that he started OCC for him and his boys, as a way to work and be together. Even going so far as to make Paulie part owner of the company, in which they have all helped to build. However, after Paul Sr. and Paulie's seemingly different but, practically identical "work ethics" clashed; the company began to fall apart, as quickly as did the relationships, between a father and his sons. Eventually their arguments grew into heated fights, and in one explosive episode, Paul Sr. fires his son Paulie. Being very prideful and stupidly stubborn men, they all stuck to their guns..., and the family that was once as strong as oak, had become irreparably cracked and writhered apart.

Paulie Jr and Paul Sr. | Source

The Family Business

If you watch the show, then you know about Paul Sr. suing Junior. You know how Paul Sr. has tried to bully Paul Jr. into giving him back all his stock, and not buying Junior out, fair and square. After all, it was Paulie's theme bikes that put OCC on the world wide map. Without Paulie's creative inventions, OCC would have just remained another New Jersey bike shop. Yes, Paul Sr. put up the capital but, Paulie's attributes shined through his creativeness.

It has always been my opinion, pertaining to the business side of matters, Paul Sr. is way out of line. Paulie was just as vital to OCC's success, as Paul Sr. was. The very OCC, internationally famed logo, was designed by Paulie no less.

Where Sr. went wrong was in realizing business is business and his family needs to come first. Paul Sr.'s incapableness to separate his business issues from his personal (family) matters, has been a big cause of his undoing here.

American Chopper

The Teutul Family

In regards to his family matters, as I wrote, it has been all of Paul Sr.'s undoing. First of all, second of all, and lastly- he is the parent. He has no right to blame his sons for their family falling apart. Any viewer can see that Paul Sr. has clearly established the hard line that he is the 'all powerful Patriarch' of the Teutul family. His own personal decisions to abandon his boys, when they were young for a life of drugs and booze, was also of his own free will. As was his decision to start up a motorcyle company with his boys as well.

Here is a man, who was terrible to his children when they were growing up, because of his own demons. Paul Sr. fails to realize that when he fired Paulie, he drew a line in the sand. Ironically it is the same kind of line that Paulie never drew in the sand on him, even though he could have or might should have, after his father abused him as a child. I drew that line in the sand with regards to my family. At some point a child has the right to say enough is enough. No more abuse will be tolerated in my house.

But I think what gets me the most, about this particular family feud, is how it is so remarkably similar it is to my own life. It's like Paulie and I's lives parallel one another's lives, and it takes someone like us to fully understand the complex layers it takes- to live and maintain an existence, in a dysfunctional family. It's a crazy way of life, and you just don't fire your kid without severe consequences. Even if it is just "business." It's clear that Paul Sr. cannot separate the two entities, and yet to Sr., it 's so absurd that Paulie won't either. What a nut job. Paul Sr. should be the poster child for just say no to drugs... He clearly has some crack residue on the brain.

Parents cannot be fired for being a crappy parent. No- us kids..., we're stuck with them. And, when their lives get tough, and they run away to booze, drugs, money, etc..., it's us kids picking up the broken pieces they left behind them. It is a selfishness, on behalf of the parents' lifestyle choices, actions and behaviors, which I don't think too many people can fully understand. Paul Sr., just like my dad did me, called Paulie worthless, and said Paulie couldn't make it without Paul Sr. He says that he made Paulie a millionaire, and repeatedly called Paulie a failure. Paulie made Sr. a millionaire too. But you don't hear nothing about that crossing Paul Sr.'s lips. Oh no, it's all about Paul Sr. I don't care who has done what, but, Paulie is no failure. That's for sure.

Paulie is worth roughly 15 million dollars. He has started up his own business, Paul Jr. Designs. He owns his home, he isn't in foreclosure (like Paul Sr. was last fall), and he has recently gotten married. He is not a drug addicted, like Paul Sr. and he isn't a drunk like his father either... So I wonder, on what scale can Paul Sr. take all those measurable qualities owned by his son, and figure he is a failure? It was the exact same thing in my life. It's totally absurd. What right does any parent have in trying to crush their child's future, or their child's perception of themselves? I don't get how these incredibly self-centered, selfish parents, like Paul Sr. and Barb Proctor (my mother of the year) get off in doing that. Where do these notions of theirs even come from? Money perhaps, yeah I can see that. But from my perspective there is not enough gold in this world, for me to ever call my son a loser. No way. I would rather live in a cardboard box, before I would ever allow anyone or myself by force, to diminish my boy's self-confidence.

Personally, I want my son to have more than me, and to be more successful than I am. If that means I have to bank him every step of the way, well by God so be it. I am his mother. I just want my boy happy, comfortable, and healthy. But that is what all good parents should want for their children, right?

Paul Sr. has done nothing but wish his son ill, on the show American Chopper. On the other hand, Paul Jr. has done nothing but take the higher road. I found it incredibly ironic last week when Paul Sr.'s stepmother dies, and he chastises his sons for not calling him. He makes his part of the show, completely and utterly about him and how he felt "abandoned" by his children. Please. Here is a father, who received an invitation to his son Paulie's wedding, and doesn't attend. Again, makes it's about him and the fact that the invitation wasn't hand delivered. So he doesn't attend! Even though he hadn't made an effort on his behalf to talk to his son in over three years. But what Paul Sr. does do is- he goes out and buys a brand new suit the week after Paul's wedding, and goes to one of his employees' wedding. Go figure. And, this man thinks he has the right to cry foul against Paulie or Mikey, for not talking to their father at his step mother's funeral. Screw that..., Paul Sr. you've made your bed, now lay in it!

What a joke.

It will be a cold day before I would go to my step father's funeral for my mother's sake. Are you kidding me? It's like these parents, of the baby boomer generation in particular, are some of the most quacked out parents, to have ever existed in history. I see this all the time with this generation of parents. Either it's about their mid-life crisis, their unhappiness, or something involving them. Like, my mom's excuses that she didn't get to travel enough, or do something great. So she'd let my step dad do bad things to me, so he'd give her money out of guilt to do just those things she wanted. Seriously? It's almost laughable now. You'd think the heifer could at least taken me along, seeing how I was the one who suffered for it. But oh no- she takes her friends or my little half sister. Laughable, truly laughable. My mom would always involve one of my siblings, mostly my sister. It's as if she didn't like us being close. Ironically, Paul Sr. actually tries to reach out to Mikey after his step mother's funeral. But he doesn't attempt to think about trying to reach out to Paulie though. He just continues to trash talk him. It's manipulation at it's finest.

I think parents like Barb and Paul Sr. fail to realize that being a good mother/father, is doing something great. My greatest achievement is my son. I may not be an Albert Einstein, but I am a good mother. I was born and put on this earth to be Zach's mother. It doesn't get any better than that. I don't need to see the beauty of Rome, I see the beauty of my son's happiness everyday. And, you can't replace looking through your son's eyes at a sunset, for any other sunsets in this world. They just do not compare.

In conclusion, parents should never go out, and try their best to destroy their child's life, and expect that there will be no consequences. It doesn't work that way. The real tragedy here is that this parenting style (of many of the baby boomer generation these days) has a sick way of turning bad occurrences into their children's faults or problems. No wonder psychiatric needs are at an all time high. Because of my past family dynamics, I take medications for anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, and sleeping agents for my night terrors... It's absolutely ridiculous for what it takes- to get me to function normal on a daily basis. I have PTSD, and have never seen a war zone. Go figure, and that's my fault somehow? I think not... If anything can be taken away from watching American Choppers, is that for all you take, take, take parents- there is recourse for that taking. So..., shut the mouth, stop hating on the kids and do some soul searching. It does not matter how old Paul Jr. grows to be, he is still the kid in the family dynamics of Father and Son. Paul Sr. would be a wiser man if he could move past himself, and see that. Paul Jr. just needs to move on. There is no future there worth going after anyway. Who wants to fight for a one sided relationship anyhow, especially when it's over before it has ever begun? A parent who holds nothing but self pity for themselves, is no parent worth calling mother or father.

Is the woman in your life fat? What to expect when your sex goddess gains weight and becomes fat, and how to help her feel gorgeous again.

Comments 8 comments

renran2009 2 years ago

Even though Paul Sr can be an ass you do have to give him credit for starting his own business from nothing. He may have had his drug and alcohol demons but he did get past that. He created the company long before his boys were old enough to join in and put in their creative input. I never remembered him denying his past issues like you are insinuating. He does need anger management therapy and learn how to talk to people. I agree that Paul Jr is beyond talented and his father should be so proud of him. I think down deep he is. As far as Paulie not keeping in contact with his dad especially when his mom passed. I think there are times when some people have to step up and be the better person. It isn't always about being "right" but about doing what's "right". Sometimes you have to move past things.

Stefan 4 years ago

I totally agee. And I have a similar story to yours. Thank you for your words. I think the healed me a little.

IntimatEvolution 4 years ago from Columbia, MO USA Author

Sr. is such a wanker... But I do enjoy Paulie's designs.

The Frog Prince 4 years ago from Arlington, TX

IE - Being a biker, I've actually been to events where I was able to rub some elbows with these folks. I used to watch the show quite often until suddenly turned into a soap opera.

I'm just sayin...

The Frog

IntimatEvolution 4 years ago from Columbia, MO USA Author

Thank you Bob. You made my night.

no body 4 years ago from Rochester, New York

I feel your pain and I am praying for you because you are not just a great writer but you are my friend. Need a hug? Mmmmm...! There. Hope you feel better. You need to keep concentrating on the positives like you wrote. Examples of bad parenting or bad "kid-ing" are everywhere. What makes character is taking the pain that has been inflicted on you and not passing that on to the next generation. You love your son and you will not do the things that were done to you so your children will do it and so on. I love that Star Trek where Kirk was offered by the rogue Vulcan to have his pain taken away and Kirk refused. He maintained that he needed his pain to make him into the man he was today. I think whomever wrote that was wise. We all have serious things that our families have done to us and we have a choice to grow or to be stuck forever, to be stronger for them or to be weaker. I see strength in you, dear one. I loves ya, Bob.

IntimatEvolution 4 years ago from Columbia, MO USA Author

He is white trash..., and yes I agree that the drama does make for good TV. But for me, I watch to see what JR. is going to build next. I think he is the epitome of the American Dream. He's extremely creative. These days I just fast forward through Sr.'s half. His bikes are computer generated. Whereas Jr.'s are all his. Hey thanks for commenting.

American Romance 4 years ago from America

Excellent perspective! Sr is simply white trash, but the drama of it all is interesting to watch.